I Shall Be Everlasting In the World of Immortals
chapter-190

At Little Pill Peak, it wasn't just Ye Fei who had been taken. All the aged, high-quality medicinal herbs on the peak had also been swept away.

The other items, however, remained untouched—likely due to a lack of time.

Lan Chang'an and Shi Manrong exchanged glances, their minds turning with possible explanations.

There were two main possibilities behind He Yuanwu's actions:

"First, He Yuanwu might need Ye Fei to treat a patient whose condition must remain hidden."

Ye Fei had resided at Wuqi Mountain for several decades, and his medical skills had gained some renown in the surrounding areas. Particularly, his success in saving the eldest daughter of the Tengxing Merchant Association had greatly boosted his reputation.

"Second, He Yuanwu might want to prevent Ye Fei from treating someone, thus preemptively eliminating that possibility."

Considering He Yuanwu's parting words, Lan Chang'an leaned toward the latter explanation.

Recently, He Yuanwu had been overtly targeting Huanglong Mountain.

"According to the intelligence, the remnants of the Huanglong Mountain lineage, after fleeing Huanglong Immortal City, haven't been pursued on a large scale."

"On one hand, Flame Departing Palace intervened to mediate and maintain order, making it difficult for those major forces to openly continue the pursuit."

"On the other hand, with Huanglong Mountain's lineage giving up their core interests, many private grudges were likely settled during that one battle. Continuing the pursuit would be unprofitable and could lead to a deadly backlash."

However, there were still a few cultivators unwilling to let the remnants of Huanglong Mountain go.

He Yuanwu was a prime example.

Having betrayed Huanglong Mountain, no one was more determined than him to prevent Fu Xuemei's lineage from making a comeback.

...

"Could it be that a high-ranking member of Huanglong Mountain's lineage, seriously injured, has sought refuge in this area?"

Lan Chang'an and Shi Manrong returned to the cave mansion on Little Turtle Peak, where they secretly began to discuss their countermeasures.

"Huanglong Mountain had a decent relationship with us in the past. Now that they're weakened, if they come seeking help, we can simply tell the truth. It shouldn't cause any conflict."

Lan Chang'an and Shi Manrong weren't particularly worried about Huanglong Mountain.

"On the contrary, He Yuanwu has a terrible reputation and could pose a potential threat to Wuqi Mountain." Lan Chang'an mused.

He Yuanwu had unreasonably “taken away” Herbalist Ye, and he might also take action against them for a certain reason.

Lan Chang'an and Fairy Shi had been spared mainly due to their strength and protective arrays—quasi-third-rank formations—but also because their connections were far more extensive than Ye Fei's.

"These past years, He Yuanwu doesn't seem to have joined any sect or organization?" Lan Chang'an asked to confirm.

"No, he hasn't."

Shi Manrong shook her head. "After he betrayed Huanglong Mountain, he only temporarily allied with those opposing Huanglong Mountain. Once Fu Xuemei formed her True-Dan, that alliance naturally fell apart."

"He Yuanwu has a bad reputation and an unpleasant personality. No respectable large sect would want to take in a traitor like him. And smaller factions wouldn't dare accommodate him either."

In the cultivation world, a person's character and reputation were crucial factors for any faction when recruiting talents.

For example, someone like Lan Chang'an, who was known as a "nice guy" and had valuable skills, would be welcome in most factions.

"Revelling against Huanglong Mountain hasn't made life any better for He Yuanwu."

Lan Chang'an chuckled. A Fake-Dan cultivator without strong backing was nothing to be afraid of.

In recent years, He Yuanwu had mainly collaborated with large merchant associations and black market forces.

Essentially, he was still a loose cultivator.

...

The next morning.

An unremarkable spirit-horse-drawn carriage broke through the misty formations surrounding Wuqi Mountain.

A hunched old servant, looking lifeless and weary, guided the reins while staring blankly at the three main peaks.

"Young Master Dong, we've arrived at Wuqi Mountain. Which peak should we head to?"

"I can't trust the others, let's go to Little Turtle Peak first."

The man inside the carriage seemed to have already made up his mind and responded without hesitation.

As the formation glowed, the carriage lifted smoothly into the air and headed directly for Little Turtle Peak.

From inside the carriage, the faint sound of a woman's pained groans could be heard, though it was muffled by a protective barrier, making it inaudible to the outside world.

"Miss Lan, please inform Talisman Master Lan that I have urgent matters to discuss."

A weary-looking middle-aged man, appearing around thirty or forty years old, showed his face from the carriage and handed over a token to the maid, Lan Rou.

Lan Rou took the token and went inside to inform Lan Chang'an.

"Brother Fu, please come in."

Soon, a white-robed man with a gentle demeanor came out to greet the guest and opened the formation for him.

"Fellow Daoist Lan."

The middle-aged man, who was actually Fu Dong in disguise, breathed a sigh of relief as he greeted Lan Chang'an. Behind him, the servant drove the carriage into Little Turtle Peak.

Through a gap in the carriage's curtain, Lan Chang'an glimpsed a slender figure lying inside, seemingly unconscious.

"Your sister's situation, Lan knows a little about it. In order to avoid wasting time, I'll let you know in advance: just yesterday, Herbalist Ye of Little Pill Peak, was taken captive by He Yuanwu." Lan Chang'an sighed deeply.

The disguised middle-aged man was indeed Fu Dong, and the injured and unconscious woman inside the carriage was none other than Fu Xuemei.

This was the first time the Little Turtle Peak had welcomed a True-Dan cultivator as a guest, even if they came lying down.

...

Lan Chang'an met with Fu Dong, instructing the maid to keep her distance and activating the illusionary formation around Little Turtle Peak to shield them from prying eyes.

"That beast, He Yuanwu! Even Huanglong Mountain's old enemies wouldn't pursue us this relentlessly."

Fu Dong cursed angrily but quickly took a deep breath to calm himself, mindful of his unconscious sister.

"My sister's injuries can't be delayed any longer. Fellow Daoist Lan, is there another skilled healer nearby?"

"I'm afraid not."

Lan Chang'an knew that relying on any half-baked practitioner would be futile in treating a True-Dan cultivator.

Even if Ye Fei were still at Wuqi Mountain, he probably wouldn't be able to do much.

"Brother Lan's wood nourishing technique is good at healing and nurturing wounds, can you take a look at my sister?"

Fu Dong bit the bullet and suggested, seemingly treating it as a last-ditch effort.

"Me? Where did you hear that rumor?" Lan Chang'an was momentarily taken aback, then laughed.

He indeed knew some basic medical techniques, but he wasn't a specialist.

"Well... I heard it from Miss Shen of the Tengxing Merchant Association."

Fu Dong's eyes flickered as he forced an explanation.

Lan Chang'an silently noted that while he had once treated Shen Bixin's injuries, he hadn't mentioned anything about the nurturing effect to her.

Even if Shen Bixin knew, she wasn't the type to gossip.

Clearly, the information Fu Dong had was the result of Huanglong Mountain's intelligence gathering.

That was understandable, though. Huanglong Mountain investigating Lan Chang'an made sense.

After all, Fu Xuemei had once traded a Foundation Establishment Pill with him, and their relationship had been amicable since then. Huanglong Mountain had even considered recruiting Lan Chang'an.

"Fellow Daoist Lan, we've been betrayed and can't find a suitable healer nearby. At least you're someone we can trust."

After speaking, Fu Dong bowed deeply.

"Please, Talisman Master Lan, help save my young mistress."

The hunched old servant brought the carriage to the edge of the pond, clasping his hands together in a raspy plea.

Lan Chang'an glanced at the old servant and sensed the aura of someone nearing the end of their life.

"Only a few days of lifespan left, yet still holding on... what a loyal servant!" He sighed inwardly.

Splash!

The Profound Water Turtle, who had been lazily basking by the pond, instinctively shuddered when the old servant approached and quickly dove into the water.

"Let's head inside."

Lan Chang'an felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the old servant before finally nodding in agreement.

The old servant visibly relaxed, then glanced at the Profound Water Turtle, which was peeking at him from the pond, and whispered approvingly:

"Just by looking at this turtle's attainments in its turtle breath ability, its master is no ordinary cultivator. We may have made the right choice after all."

"Really?" Fu Dong's eyes brightened with a glimmer of hope.

Their private conversation was beyond Lan Chang'an's hearing.

Lan Chang'an led Fu Dong into the cave mansion, with the old servant driving the carriage inside.

Perhaps because of Fu Xuemei's severe injuries, Fu Dong didn't move her out of the carriage.

As the doors of the cave mansion closed, Lan Chang'an's expression became solemn, his thoughts racing.

He could hardly have imagined that this legendary figure, renowned throughout the region, would come to Little Turtle Peak on the brink of death, seeking his help.

If not for his ability to sense lifespan, he wouldn't have been able to discern the truth of the situation.

With only a few days left of his lifespan and such a terrible physical state, if he were a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he would have already been lying on a hospital bed dying and falling into a mortal state.

"Over a decade ago, after the great battle at Huanglong Mountain, Huanglong Immortal's strength had already fallen to the early Core Formation stage, and now he's even weaker..."

"Xiang Jinglong might not know the extent of Fu Xuemei's condition, or perhaps he has some suspicions, which is why he's only acting behind the scenes."

As for Huanglong Immortal faking his death to deceive others, Lan Chang'an wasn't particularly surprised.

He himself could have done the same in his previous life.

After all, the fact that no top-level representatives from the major sects attended the funeral was telling.

Facing an irreversible trend, Huanglong Immortal had no choice but to give up Huanglong Mountain and secretly preserve his true heir.

...

"Let me be clear: I have very limited medical skills and no confidence whatsoever in treating a True-Dan cultivator." Lan Chang'an emphasized before taking any action.

"No matter. As long as your wood-based technique has good healing properties, and with my guidance, there's a decent chance of success." The old servant smiled reassuringly.

At this point, both sides understood each other well enough that they didn't need to mince words.

Lan Chang'an sighed, then stepped into the carriage, where he found the pale-faced Fu Xuemei, a True-Dan cultivator who looked as fragile as a ghost orchid.

Even in a state of unconsciousness, with her eyes closed, Fu Xuemei's beauty and aura surpassed that of most female cultivators in the world.

Lan Chang'an took her pulse, feeling the cool, jade-like skin of her delicate wrist, faintly tinged with blue veins.

Carefully, he probed with his Evergreen mana.

In her prime, a True-Dan cultivator's Core power would automatically repel foreign forces, capable of instantly shattering an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator to death.

However, Fu Xuemei was now so weak that even a common Foundation Establishment cultivator could easily kill her.

After a few moments of probing, Lan Chang'an's expression grew grave, filled with doubt and concern.

Fu Xuemei had sustained severe internal injuries, concentrated in her abdomen, where several types of True-Dan-level foreign energies were intertwined, and continued to wreak havoc.

Fu Xuemei's faint life force, along with several rare third-rank secret medicines, barely managed to keep the injuries in check, preventing further harm to her True-Dan.

That area, apart from housing her True-Dan, was also connected to a specific organ of hers.

Lan Chang'an quickly realized that Fu Xuemei had lost the ability to bear children.

The damage there was irreversible.

In a crisis, something had to be sacrificed.

For a True-Dan cultivator, it was a choice between the True-Dan and that particular organ.

This was likely a decision made by both Huanglong Immortal and Fu Xuemei on instinct.

"Senior, why didn't you treat her yourself? You would be far more reliable than an amateur like me."

Lan Chang'an asked, though he already knew the answer.

From his previous life's perspective, he understood that, given the right circumstances, Huanglong Immortal, with the aid of secret medicines, could indeed save Fu Xuemei.

"The technique I practice is powerful but not suited for healing."

The old servant paused, then continued to explain.

"More importantly, the enemy is watching from the shadows. I have unfinished business and only one chance to take action."

"I see."

Lan Chang'an nodded.

Huanglong Immortal only had one chance to act.

If he used it, he would die!

If he used it to save someone, it would only bring Fu Xuemei back from the brink.

Having just awakened, Fu Xuemei's strength would be less than ten percent of her full power, and it would take at least a year or two for her to recover to her peak.

If Huanglong Immortal rashly used his one chance to save her, they might both end up dead.

Although Fu Xuemei's injuries were severe, they weren't fatal.

If a skilled healer could treat her, it would be safer for Huanglong Immortal to retain his one chance to act.

"Time is short, Little Friend Lan, please take action. After this is accomplished, this old man will offer a gift of thanks."

The old servant clasped his hands together and bowed slightly.

Looking at the hunched figure before him, Lan Chang'an recalled a time long ago, standing before the Green Underworld Mysterious Realm, where he had dared not look directly at Huanglong Immortal, only daring to glimpse him out of the corner of his eye, fearing any attention.

But today, this legendary Core Formation Immortal, now on the brink of death, was earnestly requesting his help.

"Given the circumstances, I have no choice."

Lan Chang'an took a deep breath, as if steadying his nerves.

His hands trembled slightly as he channeled his Evergreen mana, pressing them against Fu Xuemei's abdomen through her pale blue dress.

This was a grave injury, one that even a Foundation Establishment-level healer would need to approach with extreme caution, leaving no room for error—there could be no attempt at treating her from a distance.

"Ah~!"

As soon as his hands made contact, a pained expression crossed Fu Xuemei's face, as if it was tearing her heart and lungs apart, her complexion grew paler and paler.

(End of chapter)